it Bake French Toast Overnight This is a super delicious breakfast that can be made ahead of time for easy morning prep! It’s served with a delicious streusel topping and maple syrup.
I’m excited for you to try this French Toast Casserole because it’s something we serve to our families almost every Thanksgiving and Christmas morning. It’s also a great weekend breakfast all year round.
Best French Toast Casserole
This perfectly tender French toast bake with a sweet crunchy topping is on our Christmas morning menu this year (and every year!). Baked French Toast Casserole is actually what my mother-in-law makes every year for Thanksgiving and Christmas, and her recipe inspired this one!
When I asked my mother-in-law where she got the recipe, she said leading lady And thus, the inspiration for this French Toast Casserole Recipe Toast was born.
Most overnight French toast recipes are made with lots of white sugar, butter, and cream, so I thought I’d be inspired by the flavors in Ree’s recipe and lighten things up a bit without compromising the flavor.
As I said above, I lightened things up by removing the classic French toast bake “custard” and replacing it with a better-for-you ingredient that is just as delicious.
- Cream -> Full Fat Greek Yogurt
- white sugar ->Maple syrup + more spices
- white bread -> sour
- AP flour -> white whole wheat flour
I promise these changes won’t affect the flavors of this Baked French Toast Casserole, they’ll actually enhance them!
In this French Toast Casserole recipe, I used fresh yeast bread from the bakery, but regular sandwich sourdough would work too. Actually, you can use any type of bread including white, whole wheat, etc.
Here’s what else you need:
The streusel topping really makes the recipe for this easy French Toast Casserole! It is basic and made of 4 ingredients. Here’s what you need:
- white whole wheat flour – Option to use AP flour.
- pecans – Walnuts will work too!
- Brown sugar -Feel free to use coconut flour instead.
- butter -Coconut oil works just as well, but butter actually tastes better and we recommend it.
- Cut the Bread: Use a sharp knife to cut the sourdough bread into approximately 1 to 1.5 inch bread cubes or pieces. Then, put the pieces in a greased casserole dish. Add chopped pecans and toss.
- Beat the egg mixture: Mix together eggs, Greek yogurt, maple syrup, milk, and spices. Be sure not to over mix!
- Mix French Toast: Pour the egg mixture over the cut dough and use your hands to press the bread into the liquid, making sure everything is completely dipped and coated.
- let sit: Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap or a lid and place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
- bake: Cover the baking dish with tin foil and then bake at 350ºF for 30 minutes.
- Streusel Topping: While the casserole is cooking, make the streusel topping. Add all ingredients to a medium bowl and mix to combine. Make sure your butter is not completely melted so that it remains more like pieces than a paste.
- Bake again: After 30 minutes, remove from the oven, sprinkle on the streusel topping and bake for another 15 minutes or until the center is cooked through.
I recommend leaving your French Toast Casserole out overnight so the bread has time to absorb all the magic of the eggy milk! Don’t want to wait that long? Here are 2 options for you:
Once you’ve prepared this easy French Toast Casserole recipe you essentially have 2 options for serving it:
- You can either pop it in the oven or refrigerate overnight for an easy morning breakfast.
- Or, you can refrigerate it for 30 minutes and bake it immediately.
Know that they both work and taste great too. It really depends on your personal plan and how much time you have for breakfast preparation.
Make sure the ratio of dairy to eggs is appropriate so your French toast doesn’t get too soggy.
Not all French Toast is bad for you! If you’re looking for a healthier French Toast Casserole – use better-for-you bread and replace refined sugars with all-natural sugars when possible.
Yes, we prefer sourdough for this recipe but you can use your favorite bread. Cinnamon bread, bagels, brioche bread or even challah bread would be delicious.
The basis for baking French toast in the oven is bread, eggs and milk. From there, you cut your bread into puffed squares, whisk in your egg mixture, and mix it all together! Most French toast bakes come with streusel topping, so you’ll add it on top before baking.
Don’t be afraid to prepare your French Toast Casserole the night before! All you have to do is find a French toast casserole recipe (like this one), prepare it the night before, cover it with saran wrap, and pop it in the fridge the night before. Overnight the roti will absorb all the moisture and will be ready to cook in the morning!
You’re welcome to eat your French toast as is, but here are some of my favorite ways to top it:
- Maple syrup – It’s a gift and very tasty!
- peanut butter – You may think this sounds weird, but this is how I personally eat my French toast! Try it and let me know what you think.
- Curd – An easy way to add more protein.
- fresh fruits – Any type of fresh fruit is delicious. For starters, eat banana or blackberries.
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Preheat oven to 350ºF and spray a 10 x 7-inch casserole dish with cooking spray.
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Use a knife to cut your sourdough into pieces about 1 to 1.5 inches wide. If your dough is fresh from the bakery, it may be easier to tear into pieces with your hands. Place bread in casserole dish.
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Then, sprinkle with 1 cup chopped pecans and mix with the sourdough pieces.
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In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, Greek yogurt, maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, milk, and salt.
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Pour the egg mixture over the dough and use your hands to dip the bread into the egg mixture. You want to make sure you do this to completely cover all of the bread pieces.
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If you want to bake it immediately, refrigerate it overnight or for at least 30 minutes.
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Make the streusel topping by mixing together white whole wheat flour, chopped pecans, brown sugar and butter. Mix not to make a paste, but to make a crumble. This will depend on how soft your butter is, so be sure not to melt it completely.
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Remove the French toast bake from the refrigerator and use your hands to dip the bread once more in the egg mixture before baking. Cover with tin foil and bake at 350ºF for 30 minutes, covered. Remove and add streusel topping. Bake uncovered for 15-25 minutes, depending on how moist you like your French toast.
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Let cool for at least 5-10 minutes before slicing.
- Alternative to using store-bought bread that is used for sandwiches. Make sure to measure 8 cups.
- If you are using a larger casserole dish (such as 9×13-inch), you will need to reduce the baking time by 5-10 minutes.
- Nutrition is for 8 servings.
(adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”FOgh3jvW” upload-date=”2017-12-18T00:00:00.000Z” name=”Overnight French Toast Casserole” description=”Prepare breakfast the night before so you can serve your guests a healthy hot meal in the morning. Make this Maple Pecan Overnight French Toast Bake with Sourdough. Everyone will be asking for the recipe. For!”)
Calories: 398 kilo calorie, Carbohydrates: 30 Yes, Protein: 12 Yes, thick: 26 Yes, Fiber: 1 Yes, Sugar: 22 Yes
Nutrition information is calculated automatically, so it should be used as an estimate only.
